Scotland County October jobless rate tops state

LAURINBURG — Scotland County had the highest unemployment rate for the month of October, according to data from the state Department of Commerce.

The unemployment rate for Scotland for October was 7.1 percent, up just slightly from 6.8 percent the previous month.

The county’s labor force is currently at 11,436, with 823 people looking for work in October. Buncombe County even while holding the states’ lowest unemployment rate of 3.1 percent, has 4,278 people without jobs.

Scotland’s unemployment rate was 9.2 in October 2016.

North Carolina had a jobless rate of 4.1 percent for October — the best jobless rate the state has recorded in 17 years. Unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 93 of North Carolina’s counties in October and remained unchanged in seven.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that North Carolina’s unemployment rate fell by one percentage point over the past year, one of the best improvements in the country. The federal agency says North Carolina added more than 11,000 jobs between September and October. More than 75,000 have been added in the past year.

The U.S. unemployment rate also is 4.1 percent, one-tenth of a point lower from September and seven-tenths lower than the October 2016 rate.

In surrounding counties, Robeson County unemployment rate was 6.1 percent; Moore County had a rate of 4.1 percent; Hoke County had a rate of 5.1 percent; and Richmond County had an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent.

The next unemployment update is scheduled for Dec. 22 when the state unemployment rate for November 2017 will be released.